Such inspection devices and methods are used, for example, in food processing. For example, in a production machine, in particular, a processing line or bottling and packaging line, food is filled in a single-layer matrix of cups or container chains generated by a deep-drawing process from a plastic surface. Here, the cups are tilled typically in a synchronized way by means of several filling nozzles arranged one next to and one behind the other, so that several cups can be processed simultaneously, in particular, a planar arrangement of a matrix consisting of several rows and several columns or a parallel product stream.
In the following, this parallel product stream is closed, for example, with a cover film and separated, for example, by means of a stamping device, into individual products. After the separating, partitioning, and conversion into a serial product stream, the products are usually packaged one above the other in multiple layers.
In order to exclude the presence of foreign bodies in the filled cups, the separated and packaged cups are typically examined by means of an x-ray inspection device. Disadvantageously, the examination with conventional inspection devices is time-intensive and slower than the actual processing speed of the bottling plant, so that the examination process slows down the overall processing speed. For example, in “PACK aktuell [Packaging news]”, Jun. 1, 2008, x-ray inspection systems are presented that have a conveyor belt for products to be examined and can be added to a filling and packaging line after the separation and packaging of the products. If foreign bodies and/or incorrect fill levels are detected, already packaged boxes or other secondary packaging must be opened again and the defective products must be separated out from a series of several products that are usually arranged one above the other.
Furthermore, when examining products with conventional inspection systems, imprecise or incorrect results can occur due to the imprecise or undefined positioning of the individual products in secondary packaging.